


30 Days of Coffee

by eclecticat



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Coffee, Coffee Shops, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-12 00:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7912954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eclecticat/pseuds/eclecticat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Junmyeon has a thing for the guy working at Hollys Coffee.</p>
            </blockquote>





	30 Days of Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> Written around May 2014.

  
**Day 08**

 

It’s 4 in the afternoon and Junmyeon fishes a 10,000 won bill from his jeans pocket. King Sejong stares at him, all high and mighty, as if judging him for what he’s about to do. Junmyeon sighs dejectedly. _King Sejong, a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do because all is fair in love and war._ He stops, thinking there’s something wrong with what he said, but pushes through anyway.

 

_You can do this, Junmyeon._

 

The cold recycled air inside Hollys Coffee that slaps Junmyeon in the face is a striking difference from the 39 degrees Celsius outside. He wipes the sweat on his forehead using a handkerchief and strides toward the cashier. It’s a Tuesday afternoon and the Hollys Coffee near his workplace is alarmingly empty with only a handful of customers milling about in the area. Not that Junmyeon wanted a crowd. He’s not there for the crowd, not there for the place, not there for the coffee. Junmyeon is there for the sweetest guy he’s ever met since last week, the guy working behind the cashier counter every afternoon.

 

“Yixing” is engraved on the guy’s name tag, its black ink a perfect combination with the gold badge. The name rolls off Junmyeon’s tongue like it’s meant to for the rest of his life. He puts his hand over his mouth, eyes enlarging the instant he realizes he’s mentioned the guy’s name when he’s already standing in front of the cashier counter.

 

Yixing stops tinkering with the calculator in his hand and offers a smile at the customer in front of him.

 

“Hi! How may I help you?”

 

_There are those blasted dimples again._

 

King Sejong’s face is already crumpled in Junmyeon’s fist as he smiles back at Yixing. The guy is stunningly beautiful and there’s never a day when Junmyeon doesn’t feel his heart palpitate just at the sight of Yixing. Yixing has jet black hair, pale white skin, bright eyes, plump lips and blasted dimples that Junmyeon is just itching to poke. His lean physique is visible beneath the thin fabric of his white button down and Junmyeon has to fight the urge to sniff the guy in fear of being thought of as a maniac.

 

“Oh hi. can I get a caffe mocha?” Junmyeon bids King Sejong farewell as Yixing takes the bill from him and punches his order into the cashier register. Junmyeon siezes this opportunity to bask in the beauty of the man before him - the way Yixing’s eyebrows furrow, the way Yixing bites his lip, the way Yixing tinkers with the damned machine before he offers Junmyeon’s change and a disc-shaped device.

 

Junmyeon settles on the couch near the window and the cashier. Not because he wants to get a good look at Yixing of course; he just doesn’t like the hassle of walking far when he picks his coffee up. Yup, that sounds to be perfectly reasonable. The sound of espresso machines vibrating and cups clacking against the tiled kitchen counter along with Yixing humming to the background music in the coffee shop – Junmyeon finds all of this soothing. (But let’s be real, it’s mostly just Yixing’s voice that calms him.)

 

The disc-shaped device vibrates, its offensive sound blaring on the hard wood table, red dots alarming Junmyeon to get the _fucking_ coffee. _Jeezus who invented these?!_ Junmyeon rushes to the counter where Yixing is preparing his Caffe Mocha in a small tray with iced water and napkins.

 

“Here you go. I put in more chocolate just for you.”

 

Yixing winks and Junmyeon internally hyperventilates.

 

Junmyeon awkwardly smiles at the guy before balancing the tray with shaking hands.

 

Caffe mocha has never tasted so good.

 

 

 

 

 

\-----

 

 

 

**Day 13**

 

It’s a Thursday and Junmyeon is at Hollys Coffee earlier than he usually is. It’s one of the perks of owning a business – you control your own work schedule. Not that Junmyeon owns a particularly big company; it’s just a small Italian restaurant down the block. There aren’t a lot of people in between lunch and dinner, so he actually has the luxury of drinking coffee at the nearest Hollys Coffee aka luxury of ogling at the cute dimpled guy working there.

 

“I’ll have a mint caffe mocha today.”

 

Junmyeon’s voice is soft, just like the acoustic songs playing in the background. Yixing smiles at him once again and punches his order into the cashier register. Yixing hums to Jason Mraz’s _I’m Yours_ and Junmyeon finds himself smiling because the guy in front of him _has that much effect on him._ He chuckles unknowingly and is momentarily mortified when he notices Yixing looking at him expectantly.

 

“What’s so funny?”

 

“Ah…ah…just suddenly thought of something.”

 

Yixing snorts at Junmyeon’s response before giving him his change and the alarm disc.

 

“You should smile more. You look cute when you smile.”

 

Junmyeon blushes. He blushes so hard it’s as if a little girl is puffing his cheeks with too much blush-on. _Is Yixing flirting with me? Cute? What did he mean by cute? Does it mean that he’s been checking me out?_ He takes the alarm from Yixing’s hands and storm away from the cashier counter and to the farthest area in the coffee shop. He just can’t look at Yixing right now, okay?

 

The weather has been getting worse and people are getting sick. Junmyeon is one of those sick people suffering from an unwarranted cold in the middle of the summer. He takes out his nasal relief and carefully sticks it to his nose to breathe normally even for just a few seconds. The constant weather change is no help at all, one day it’s raining the next it’s smoldering hot. He coughs, an unpleasantly loud one, when the alarm vibrates. Its red lights glare at him as if he just _has one job and he can’t even do it well_. Junmyeon groans, walks toward the counter and attempts to get his order when he coughs again. It’s a noisy one and he can’t help it. He just coughs and coughs because his throat is still irritated to the point where he’s choking, tears in his eyes because of the pain due to coughing and embarrassment due to coughing. In front of Yixing.

 

Coughing in public is such a pain in the ass.

 

Yixing scrambles to his feet, urgency obvious in his steps towards Junmyeon, a cup of water in hand. He shoves the cup to Junmyeon and Junmyeon takes it as he thumps his chest. Yixing softly rubs Junmyeon’s back in an attempt to make him feel better, but Junmyeon only feels hot. Hot and embarrassed with what just happened.

 

“You okay?? Here have some more water.”

 

Yixing returns with more water in the cup and gives it to Junmyeon who is now beet red. Junmyeon waves his hand, dimissing Yixing off. He doesn’t even have the guts to look at Yixing in the eyes as he grabs the cup of mint caffe mocha and rushes out of the store, unsaid gratitude and apologies clinging to his mouth.

 

Junmyeon slams his hands over his face as soon as he gets home. He’s in front of the mirror when the shame-inducing memory hits him. Of all the times he could make a fool of himself, he just had to do it in front of Yixing. You know, Yixing…the guy he’s been openly stalking for two weeks now. He groans loudly before taking a sip of his coffee.

 

Mint caffe mocha tastes like new unexpected memories, though as unwanted as they may be.

 

Junmyeon’s never going to order it again. Ever.

 

~~Okay, maybe not in a while.~~

 

 

 

 

 

\-----

 

 

 

**Day 01**

 

Junmyeon finds an escape in the nearby Hollys Coffee from where he works. The day has been extremely stressful. First, one of his cooks decided to go AWOL on the only day he’s scheduled to have a food magazine editor around. Second, one of his waiters got into a fight on his way to work and is now sporting a big bruise on his face while mending his other injuries in the hospital. Third, he got a ticket for parking his car on the other side of the road and apparently it’s not allowed anymore.

 

The only good thing that has happened so far is the fact that the food magazine editor decided to reschedule his visit.

 

“Hi, I’ll get a sweet potato latte.” Junmyeon absent-mindedly says to the guy working at the cashier. He reaches into his back pocket for his wallet and gets a 10,000 won bill. There are just too many things to do and too many projects to plan. The cashier counter guy fulfill’s Junmyeon’s request, taking the payment from his hands. Junmyeon mutters his gratitude, all the while thinking about how heavy his laptop is and how he doesn’t have to come back to his restaurant till later that night.

 

“Here’s your change.”

 

Junmyeon looks up for the first time and sees a cute guy with deep dimples. He feels light and amazed because the guy is _really, really beautiful_. The guy’s hand is soft as it grazes ever so slightly against Yixing’s, coins clanking during through the exchange. A sweet smile decorates his face as he looks back at Junmyeon, the guy’s interest obvious in the way his eyebrows furrow a bit. It’s as if time stops for three good seconds as both of them looks at each other. Yixing’s smile is tucked into Junmyeon’s memory while Junmyeon’s shocked expression is stored in Yixing’s mind. The sound of espresso machines vibrating against the kitchen counter as well as tap water free flowing resonates in their own little world before Yixing snaps his fingers in front of Junmyeon, bringing them back to reality.

 

“Oh yeah, thanks.”

 

The Hollys Coffee near Junmyeon’s restaurant isn’t really one of the biggest branches, but its fine with him. He’s just there to calm down his nerves (well originally, but now he has other reasons to go to the coffee shop). He sets up his laptop on one of the tables near the window, plugging the charger into an outlet while arranging his notebook on the table. Junmyeon’s in the middle of collating his expenses from last week when the disc-shaped device alarms him that his order is ready.

 

An enthusiastic Yixing waves at him and displays his order on a tray. Junmyeon nods and jogs toward the cashier counter. He blames it all on work and the guy standing in front of him. His nerves are just overreacting, that’s all. According to the guy’s name tag, his name is Yixing. _Yixing is such a nice name_ , Junmyeon thinks.

 

(Yixing is such a nice guy.)

 

“Thanks!”

 

“You’re welcome!” Yixing smiles at Junmyeon one last time before attending to other customers in the shop.

 

Junmyeon finds the rest of his afternoon amusing rather than productive.

 

He stops clicking his mouse and glances at the dimpled-guy a few meters away. From Junmyeon’s peripheral vision, he could see Yixing ruffling a kid’s hair as he gives the kid a cup of water. The kid pouts at Yixing and runs toward his parents who are waiting expectantly for him. Yixing has his hands in the pockets of his apron as he looks longingly at the family as they left the shop. He goes back behind the counter and cleans his utensils while whistling to a Rachael Yamagata song.

 

Junmyeon sighs and goes back to his financial statements.

 

The sweet potato latte is too sweet for Junmyeon.

 

But seriously, he just wants to blame Yixing.

 

 

 

 

\-----

 

 

 

**Day 22**

 

It’s a rather good day.

 

The sun is up, the weather’s tolerable, the restaurant is doing okay.

 

Everything is working out well despite the fact that he’s been crushing on a barista for 22 unhealthy days now.

 

Kim Junmyeon heaves a sigh as he pep talks himself into doing what he’s been planning to do for weeks now. _Confess to Yixing, Jun. Stop all this one-sided madness and just tell the guy so you can finally move on when you get hurt._ He’s now in front of the coffee shop with a box of cupcakes on one hand and a Rachael Yamagata album on the other.

 

22 days of ~~stalking~~ crushing and what does he know about the guy? That his name is Yixing, he has daily afternoon shifts at Hollys Coffee, and he likes cupcakes and Rachael Yamagata a lot. Junmyeon should thank Kris, the other barista in the store who supplied him with random information about Yixing in their simple conversations.

 

A pathetic little stalker, that’s what Junmyeon is.

 

_It’s now or never, Junmyeon._

 

Junmyeon marches up to the counter and slams the 10,000 won on the table.

 

“An americano please.”

 

“Well somebody sure is in a hurry.” Yixing says in that sickeningly sweet voice of his _and damn it those dimples!_ He hangs the washcloth by the sink and drops the mug on the table. King Sejong is transferred to Yixing’s hands as the guy punches in Junmyeon’s order.

 

_Tell him now, Junmyeon! What are you waiting for?! The end of the world?_

 

“Uhm…” Junmyeon wants to blame the lack of experience in the whole dating scene for not being able to confess to a barista. Junmyeon wants to blame years and years of superb educational attainment and work experiences for the lack of confidence to have a nice chat with a crush. Junmyeon has never felt the urge to burn his diplomas like now as he looks at Yixing’s expectant face. “I-I-I uhm…have cupcakes!” The last part comes out as a squeak.

 

Junmyeon has never felt humiliated his entire life.

 

Goodbye confident restaurant owner, college valedictorian. Hello obsessed and embarrassing coffee shop customer.

 

“Haha! Cute, where’d you get them? I love cupcakes!” Yixing gives Junmyeon his change and proceeds to make his coffee. Junmyeon follows, each and every step light in the concrete floor. He props himself on the other side of the counter where coffees are picked-up by customers. “I got them from the bakery nearby! Do you want to eat them with me?” Junmyeon sounds like a 13-year old child who’s super excited to meet a new friend instead of a 25-years old restaurant owner. He knows he looks stupid, but he just desperately wants to make a good impression on Yixing.

 

“Can’t right now, maybe later?” Yixing winks at Junmyeon as he gives him his Americano. Junmyeon is a few inches shorter than Yixing, so despite being older _(Junmyeon assumes he’s older)_ he actually looks younger than Yixing. He purses his lips, but waits for Yixing to finish his shift anyway. It’s a grueling and nerve-wracking 3-hour wait where he spends his time checking Yixing out, scanning his emails for work and checking Pokemon tournament statuses.

 

“Hey….” Junmyeon looks up to see a stressed out look in Yixing’s face.

 

“Oh hey, you okay?”

 

“I can’t eat with you. Need to go somewhere. Emergency.”

 

If Junmyeon, didn’t know any better he’d think that Yixing’s pouting. He feels sad and spent, but it’s not like Yixing plans to ditch him, right? It’s an unexpected event and Junmyeon should respect that. He bites his lower lip before pasting a smile on his face.

 

“It’s okay. Just take the cupcakes with you.”

 

“Oh but they’re yours!”

 

“I bought them for you.”

 

“No, no, please. I’d rather not.”

 

“Take them. I insist.”

 

Junmyeon takes one last sip of the water Yixing brought before walking out of the shop with a stiff smile on his face.

 

Americano tastes like bittersweet attempts in love.

 

 

 

 

\-----

 

 

**Day 23**

 

“Yixing’s not around.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Don’t know when he’s coming back.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Here’s your Green Tea Latte.”

 

“Thanks man.”

 

 

 

  
\-----

 

 

 

**Day 27**

 

Kim Junmyeon doesn’t even know the reason why he’s at Hollys Coffee anymore, but he’s there. It’s a Wednesday afternoon and Junmyeon is on his second mint chocolate already. Yixing is still nowhere in sight. 5 days after Junmyeon’s attempted confession, Yixing has stopped going to work with “Emergency at home. Can’t explain. Will go to work as soon as everything’s okay.” on the other end of the telephone conversation with his boss aka Kris the other barista who turns out to be the manager as well.

 

The sound of calculator buttons being pressed and ideas being scribbled down is faint in the background of the coffee shop. Rachael Yamagata is singing as Junmyeon types an email. Her songs reminds him of Yixing. Yixing humming to _Be Be Your Love_ , Yixing smiling to each and every customer in the shop, Yixing making coffee, Yixing being Yixing. He sighs, drops his pen and sips his mint chocolate.

 

Junmyeon’s way too deep in this crush thing than he’s expected.

 

It’s day 27, but Junmyeon finds himself stuck in day 22, relieving his last moments (hopefully not) with Yixing like a broken CD in an old stereo in his grandmother’s house. He recounts the moments over and over again, struggling to keep the memory intact with each passing day. Sometimes he just thinks of Yixing and misses him in the unhealthy way that he has for the past 27 days. He misses the way Yixing is so near yet so far from him in both the literal and figurative sense. Junmyeon knows it’s pretty stupid to like somebody so much without actually getting to know the person, but he can’t choose who he falls for. Nobody can. Sometimes Junmyeon thinks of the possible reasons why Yixing left, conjuring hypotheses that are so very unhelpful for his mental and emotional health. Like Yixing leaving Junmyeon not because of an emergency, but because he doesn’t really like him at all, that he left Junmyeon because he has a girlfriend/boyfriend waiting for him, that he left because of certain negative things that Junmyeon just doesn’t want to think about anymore.

 

This is the part where Junmyeon resorts to daydreaming.

 

Daydreaming of being with Yixing, being on Yixing, being in Yixing. Junmyeon daydreams of late night movies, lunch out in nearby restaurants, weekend cuddlings, midnight ice creams and firework spectacles. He daydreams of Yixing’s beautiful face, pretty smile and gentle personality. Nevertheless, Junmyeon knows that daydreams are called daydreams for a reason.

 

Daydreams are for imaginations to run wild, for wishes to at least come true in just the mind. It’s very different from the harsh reality, which in Junmyeon’s case is – Yixing leaving on the day of his confession.

 

Junmyeon heaves a sigh and takes one last sip of his mint chocolate before collecting his things.

 

He finds out his taste buds don’t sit well with chocolate.

 

He wants the coffee Yixing used to make for him.

 

 

 

 

\-----

 

 

 

**Day 30**

 

Junmyeon rubs his face, remnants of sleep still clinging to his eyelids with each passing second. He has nothing on him except his wallet. No laptop, no notebook, no lingering thoughts of Yixing. _(Okay, maybe that last part is a lie, but let him lie to himself jfc)_ It has been a week since Yixing stopped going to work. Even Kris stopped looking for his subordinate. To say that Junmyeon completely forgot about Yixing already would be a complete lie. Of course, he’s thought of the guy. You can’t just easily forget a guy you’ve been crushing on for a month. It’s an excruciatingly slow process filled with shameful, cringe-inducing memories of desperation and anxiety.

 

But now Junmyeon’s not in Hollys Coffee for Yixing. No he’s not. He’s there for some actual coffee because he can’t afford to continue being braindead in his restaurant for the rest of the day just because he only slept for 3 hours due to a late night Pokemon challenge with Jongdae.

 

From Junmyeon’s peripheral vision, he could see Kris’ tall stature. He chuckles because _wow Yixing is really ignoring me. Maybe I should choose another coffee shop to go to._ Without looking at the barista behind the cashier counter, Junmyeon fishes out a couple of bills from his wallet and offers them to the barista in front of him only to see the one and only Yixing.

 

“Hey Junmyeon!”

 

Yixing has gotten brighter, joy radiating from his very self with each smile he offers to Junmyeon. He’s not wearing his uniform – a white button down shirt, red apron, pants and shoes. He’s wearing casual clothes and Junmyeon finds himself blatantly gaping. Yixing just looks extremely nice? He’s wearing a plain dark blue shirt over dark denim pants and Chuck Taylors. It’s a very plain style, but Junmyeon doesn’t really mind. Who cares about fashion when Yixing’s face is enough to make him happy?

 

“You know my name?”

 

“Of course, you’re Junmyeon! The guy who gave me cupcakes!” Yixing proceeds to get out of the employees’ area and meet Junmyeon in the customer’s area aka 70% of the whole shop. He’s holding 2 cups of raspberry caffe mocha and is leading Junmyeon to one of the tables. Junmyeon acquiesces; still startled by the fact that he’s finally seeing Yixing again.

 

“Here, take this as a thank you for the cupcakes. They were extremely delicious.” Yixing winks at Junmyeon while sipping on his own drink which leads the latter to choke from imaginary food in his throat. He feels like all of his previous drowsiness is gone and replaced by a sudden alertness with everything related to Yixing.

 

“Aren’t you going to get scolded for drinking coffee with me instead of working?”

 

“Oh Kris wouldn’t mind.”

 

Junmyeon looks at the tall man behind the cashier counter and sees him shaking his head, as if disapproving something. He looks back at Yixing who is now busy looking at the commotion going on outside the coffee shop. Junmyeon feels like his heart is going to explode. He’s been going to Hollys Coffee for a month now just to see this guy every day and here he is, living the dream. Carefully, Junmyeon takes the raspberry caffe mocha on the table and sips from it. It’s too sweet for his liking, but he finds himself liking it nevertheless.

 

There is nothing, but silence between the two of them. Yixing continues to stare out the window while Junmyeon continues to stare at the guy in front of him. It’s an awkward atmosphere, but nonetheless wanted. Junmyeon revels at the fact that he’s spending time with Yixing, even in silence. He exhales loudly, letting tensions run through his body. He can actually confess to Yixing now…

 

It’s now or never, Junmyeon.

 

“I like you, Junmyeon.” Yixing’s the first to break the silence. “I’ve liked you ever since you first came to this coffee shop, but I was just too shy to actually strike up a conversation with you.” Well _that’s_ a surprising turn of events. Junmyeon’s so sure he’s the one who’s supposed to be doing a confession than the other way around. Junmyeon’s so sure Yixing doesn’t like him at all, but wait did Yixing just say he likes him?

 

“Wait. What did you say?” Junmyeon’s eyes are about to pop out.

 

“I said I like you. I’ve liked you ever since you…”

 

“Yeah I heard that, but you like me? Why would you like me? You left me on the day I gave you cupcakes! Confession cupcakes at that! I’m the one who’s supposed to be telling you how much I like you even though I haven’t actually conversed that much with you...” By now, Junmyeon is already ranting his woes to his crush. “Don’t you see me as an obsessed stalker? Going to this coffee shop every afternoon just to see you. Oh my god, I sound so desperate and I’m crazy and are you even in your right mind?!” Junmyeon is practically hyperventilating.

 

Yixing offers a glass of water to Junmyeon, all the while giggling at the guy.

 

“You’re funny.”

 

Junmyeon glares at Yixing and Yixing responds by laughing boisterously.

 

“My cousin got into a bit of a problem down south. Had to help him out. You know, cousin duties.”

 

_Oh._

 

Junmyeon’s face is practically beet red. It feels like he’s humiliating himself whenever Yixing is around. Yixing pinches Junmyeon’s cheeks and scoots closer to the guy. “We can actually converse now…”

 

_OH._

 

“I’m Yixing by the way. I work at Hollys Coffee in the afternoon and work as a freelance photographer the rest of the time. And you are?”

 

“Junmyeon. My name is Junmyeon. I own a humble Italian restaurant down the block and I spend my afternoons drowning myself in coffee just to get a glimpse of a dimpled guy working at Holly’s Coffee.”

 

“By the way, I’ve waited a month to do this…so could you just….”

 

Yixing caresses Junmyeon’s cheeks and softly, just barely, lands his lips on Junmyeon’s and it tastes sweet. Too sweet, but Junmyeon likes it. He finds it so addicting and gloriously satisfying that he ends up grabbing Yixing by the neck and deepening the kiss. Yixing angles his head to the side and tentatively prods Junmyeon’s mouth with his tongue and the latter readily allows it.

 

It takes 30 days of coffee for Junmyeon and Yixing to finally get together.

 

 

 

 

“Oh for fuck’s sake, finally! I was so close to locking you two up in the storage room if you still haven’t got the balls to hook up!”


End file.
